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Majors 37 Programs

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Explore media and tools that give life to visual stories, characters, and environments. Develop your own distinctive style and voice. And, gain the professional know-how for careers in film, TV, game design, and beyond.

Create films that challenge conventional thinking, inspire action, or elicit emotion. With a strong foundation in technical skills—cinematography, sound design, lighting, and editing—turn your vision into a powerful story that you will produce and bring to the big screen.

Explore across media as you investigate the full scope of the visual arts. Divide your time between classrooms and studios where you’ll not only draw, paint, sculpt, and explore printmaking, but also read, write, and conduct research.

From visual narratives to character design, concept and editorial art, product and surface design, a bachelor’s degree in illustration offers you the possibility to create work that engages and excites.

Explore traditional and new media in commercial studio, documentary, photojournalism, and fine art photography. Forge your own voice in the creative process as you learn to craft a photo from initial concept to final image.

Bachelor of Arts

Study theory and history of the visual arts while creating your own from many different forms of media. Ideal for students who also want to take on a second major as there are fewer credits and studio requirements.

Investigate the natural processes and life cycles of plants and animals. Explore the world through its complex systems and see how all life is connected. Take the first steps toward a career in education, public and community health, science writing, and more.

Discover how race and ethnicity, gender, class, and culture shape families and communities and affect children’s learning and growth. Gain hands-on experiences and insights that prepare you to be an advocate for youth and families in need.

Whether you choose to focus on fiction, nonfiction, poetry, script writing, or writing for children and young adults, as a creative writing major at Lesley you’ll gain the tools, support, and experience to bring your vision to the world.

Guide children’s playfulness and creativity as you discover cutting-edge approaches to teaching children in pre-kindergarten through second grade. Encourage their earliest stages of learning and development and help set a solid foundation for success in school.

Explore the most significant writers and works from American, European, and world literature. Tackle big questions about the human experience. Hone writing and communication skills that translate to success in a wide range of careers.

Discover a multidisciplinary approach to addressing environmental problems. Understand human effects on the environment by studying not only the sciences, but also philosophy, history, politics, and culture.

Explore how people and nations are connected. Work toward solutions to global issues, such as immigration, trade, and climate change. Transform your fascination with the world into a career in international business, law, education, and more.

Earn your Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) in liberal studies with a completely customizable area of study. This is a perfect opportunity to design a program of coursework that is specific to your background or individual goals.

Examine real-world problems with an analytical eye and take action. Use math as a lens to examine global issues. Participate in important research with expert faculty. Gain skills for careers in computer science, data management, education, and more.

Capture the imagination and attention of students in grades 5-8. Become an expert on the adolescent mind. And gain the skills and experience to engage this challenging age group with confidence and creativity.

Gain an understanding of how government policies are made and carried out. Analyze different types of governments and their impacts on citizens. Prepare for a rewarding career in business, law, education, government, or communications.

Inspire high school and middle school students to discover their strengths and passions. Guide them in building a foundation for successful learning and future careers. And gain confidence in your knowledge and skills as a teacher.

Focus on society and the factors that define our place in it. Explore how individuals and groups are affected by race, class, gender, sexuality, and age. And gain the skills for a career in public health, community organizing, advocacy, and more.

Follow your passion for the Spanish language and its many cultures. Gain a deep and nuanced fluency in Spanish as you learn to apply your Spanish in business settings, as a teacher, or in a human services profession.

Discover how to make education accessible and engaging for PreK–8 students who have diverse learning styles and needs. Gain the skills you need to become a confident, inclusive, and empathetic teacher.

Bachelor of Science

Grow as an artist and help others use their own creativity as a path to wellness. Our art therapy bachelor's degree program gives you the tools to improve people's abilities to cope, heal, understand, and relate to others.

Channel your curiosity about living into a career focused on healthcare and research. Graduate with the skills needed to continue onto medical, dental, or veterinary school, and a range of science-related professions.

Gain the business skills you need to think strategically, identify challenges, offer creative solutions, and lead others. Build your resume with work experience in some of the best places to work in Greater Boston—a hub for tech start-ups.

Develop the listening and people skills to counsel others. Build your understanding of human development, psychology, and relationships. Gain the confidence to work with children and adults in schools, communities, and social service agencies.

Prepare for a career working with young children or enhance your current teaching with our bachelor’s degree completion program. Specialize in infants and toddlers, children with special needs, preschool, or integrated teaching through the arts.

Discover how to engage people in creative processes that can free them from mental and emotional problems. Gain an understanding of the professional skills needed to guide others toward health and healing.

Bachelor of Social Work

There are countless ways to use a social work degree to help put individuals, families, and entire communities on the path to living happy, productive, and meaningful lives. Let Lesley help find the one meant for you.

Masters 31 Programs

Master of Education

Bring your artistic skills to the classroom. Teach PreK-8 or 5-12 students how to think and learn through the creative process. Continue to develop your own work while discovering the latest in classroom practices, research, and art education.

Transform your love of the arts into a career in a nonprofit, hospital, museum, school, or other institution. In this dynamic program, you gain the tools to effect change in the community through art—and become a better artist at the same time.

Prepare to nurture the social, emotional, and intellectual development of PreK-2 children. Explore teaching methods that will help you inspire in your students a lifelong love of learning. Gain rich experience and prepare for a rewarding career.

Play a vital role in helping grade 1–6 students become critical thinkers who will thrive in an era of change. Explore ways to support children with varied abilities, and emerge from your studies with the skills you need to succeed as a teacher.

Expand your content knowledge while gaining strategies for engaging students and preparing them for college and careers. Choose from English, history, math, biology, chemistry, earth and space science, physics, or social sciences, and become a highly effective licensed educator.

Design an advanced degree based on your professional and personal goals. With this on-campus version of our Individually Designed program, you can pursue a specialization or choose a variety of courses from across the university, and take a combination of face-to-face and online courses.

Create arts-infused curriculum to strengthen student learning. Gain a foundation in the newest research on arts-informed teaching approaches. And prepare to use the arts to engage students with diverse learning styles and needs.

Make a real difference in students’ lives by turning your passion for literacy into career as a school or district reading specialist. In this highly-regarded program, you’ll gain expertise you can apply to a variety of settings and roles.

Design a master’s program in special education tailored to your unique professional goals. Centered on a chosen concentration area, this non-licensure program is for those who already have or do not need a special education license.

Be a teacher who can effectively teach students with moderate learning disabilities in both special education and inclusive classrooms. Study instruction, current issues and laws, and how to provide all students with full access to learning.

This dual-license master’s program prepares you to work with students with both moderate and severe disabilities in school, clinical, and other settings. Fulfill your goal of being a dedicated special education teacher.

Fulfill your goal of being a dedicated special education teacher. This dual-license master’s program prepares you to work with PreK–8 students with a range of moderate and severe disabilities in school, clinical, and other settings.

Become a teacher who can educate students with moderate learning disabilities. Prepare to teach in special education and inclusive classrooms. Study instruction, current issues and laws, and how to provide all students with full access to learning.

Prepare to educate and encourage students with severe disabilities. Make a meaningful difference for those with complex learning needs by providing access to curriculum, behavior support, skills development, and quality of life options.

Master of Arts

Develop the understanding, social justice perspective, and clinical expertise needed to become a creative and effective mental health counselor. Gain eligibility for your counseling license by completing a total of 1,300 hours of field experience.

Promote healing through drawing, painting, sculpting, and other media. Learn theoretical and practical approaches to help people gain self-awareness and understanding. Become engaged with individuals, families, and communities to foster well-being.

Learn to use dance and movement to enhance communication and relationships and foster mental and physical wellness in clients. As a dance/movement therapist and mental health counselor, explore how dance can yield fresh insights and facilitate the healing process.

Facilitate change through improvisation and performance. As a licensed mental health counselor, use experiential techniques to help others become spontaneous and flexible in their relationships. Practice in schools, clinics, and community centers.

Learn from pioneers in the field as you train to become a licensed mental health counselor, whose practice integrates multiple areas of expression, including art, dance/movement, drama, and music. Choose from our on-campus or low-residency options.

Starting from the basis of the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—learn a multidimensional approach to counseling that addresses people’s mental, physical, and emotional needs. Complete 1,300 field-training hours, qualifying you for licensure.

Engage others in music making as a means to wellness. Use musical performance to instill confidence and collaboration. Prepare for careers in diverse settings, including at-risk youth, underserved communities, and clinical and educational centers.

Train to excel as a counselor in diverse primary and secondary school environments. Learn to work with children and collaborate with a wide range of individuals, including parents, teachers, administrators, and community members.

Guide those in pain toward health and healing. With 1,300 hours of specialized field training, you’ll develop the mental health counseling expertise needed to address traumatic experiences, especially in the case of young and vulnerable populations.

Build a foundation in scientific theory and research while gaining the practical knowledge to guide people toward transformation. Master skills that enable you to work under supervision or continue on to doctoral study.

Work in school settings with children and adolescents, as well as their families, to help them reach academic and personal goals. In this 48-credit program, become eligible for licensure as a Massachusetts school counselor for grades PreK-8 or 5–12.

Discover how to collaborate with diverse populations and promote communication, mutual respect, and understanding across educational and professional settings. Graduate connected to Lesley University’s global network of professionals and educators and prepared for employment in dynamic settings in the U.S. and abroad.

Master of Fine Arts

Immerse in an intimate community of artist/scholars that is redefining photography. Study full-time in Cambridge, MA, and explore traditional and alternative photographic practices, new technology, and contemporary media through one holistic curriculum.

Play a key role in helping students become critical 21st century thinkers. Designed for career changers and others who do not need a master’s degree, this license-only program is a perfect way to prepare for teaching without taking a full program.

Gain valuable skills and credentials for teaching English language learners (ELLs). This license-only program gives you new career opportunities and the ability to help students make significant strides.

Gain valuable skills and credentials for teaching English language learners (ELLs). This license-only program gives you new career opportunities and the ability to help students make significant strides.

A program for career changers and others who would like a high school teaching license but do not require a Master's degree. Expand your content knowledge while gaining strategies for engaging students and preparing them for college and careers.

Learn the fundamentals of adolescent development, designing appropriate curriculum and learning environments, and classroom management strategies. Turn your area of expertise into a rewarding career working with middle school students.

Positively impact students’ lives as a school or district reading specialist. If you have a master’s degree and an appropriate teaching license, you can get your reading specialist license and move your initial license to the professional level.

Learn to teach students with moderate learning disabilities in both special education and inclusive classrooms. If you have an appropriate classroom license and don’t need a master’s degree, this license-only program may be right for you.

Prepare to teach and inspire students with moderate learning disabilities in PreK–8 special education and inclusive classrooms. If you have an appropriate classroom license and don’t need a master’s degree, this license-only program is for you.

Make a difference in the lives of students with complex learning needs by providing behavior support, skill development, and access to education. If you have an appropriate initial license and don’t need a master’s degree, this program is for you.

PhDs 2 Programs

PhD

Blending online study with weekend on-campus classes, our PhD program for mental health professionals and school counselors prepares you to bring transformative leadership and applied research to mental health programs, schools, and higher education.

Design a doctoral program tailored to your professional goals. You’ll have a great deal of flexibility as you structure interdisciplinary study that fits your career objectives and allows you to contribute significantly to your field of interest.

Learn the ins and outs of graphic design through hands-on courses and internship experience with our two-year certification program. To be eligible, you must have already completed a bachelor’s degree program.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Through our certificate program, discover how to integrate the healing power of creative expression into the care of patients in hospitals, health centers, nursing homes, and other settings. You’ll develop a range of skills that open new possibilities in healthcare, education, human services, social work, counseling, and more.

Learn how to establish helping relationships within your current working environment. In this 12-credit program, gain a foundation in human development and counseling, and then choose elective courses relevant to your professional interests.

Explore the principles and practices of art, dance/movement, drama, music therapy, and more. Discover how these disciplines, known as expressive therapies, can be integrated into clinical work and build on your current professional practice.

Provide effective transition planning to special education students ages 14-22 as they prepare for work and further learning. Take this as a graduate certificate or, if you are a licensed special educators or other professional working with this group, as a state-approved endorsement.

Build your expertise in psychosocial trauma work and bring new knowledge to your current practice. This 12-credit graduate certificate program provides an overview of trauma theory and practice in relation to specific client populations and topics.

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study Programs

Designed for professionals, this 36-credit certificate program will help you expand your current skill set, pursue leading-edge research, and enhance your understanding of counseling psychology theory and practice.

If you have an advanced degree in expressive arts therapy or a related field, and wish to gain in-depth training in the principles and practices of different modalities (art, dance, music, and psychodrama), this certificate program is for you.

Grow your literacy skills and qualify for a reading specialist license. Designed for PreK–12 educators with a master’s degree and teaching license, this program prepares you for higher-level positions in curriculum, staff training, or supervision.